HOT weather is unlikely to dent what is expected to be a record crowd over the two weeks of the Australian Open tennis at Melbourne Park. The world’s best players will be competing for a share of a mega $33-million prize pool.
Melbourne hosts the first of the year’s grand slam tournaments, with the men’s and women’s champions being decided on Rod Laver Arena, named after the Rockhampton Rocket, the Queensland left-hander who remains the only male player to have won the four grand slam titles in a calendar year in the modern era. He did it twice, in 1962 and 1969.
This year will see Australian hope Bernard Tomic meet top-seed Rafael Nadal in a first-round confrontation. Lleyton Hewitt, again Australia’s top-ranked player after defeating Roger Federer at Brisbane, faces 24th-seeded Andreas Seppi. Sam Stosur, who suffered a slump following a US Open title, is back on form.
The Australian Open is the favourite tournament of defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic.
The players, the crowds and even the weather make Melbourne marvellous.
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